Face-plate for flush receptacles.



H. u. BADEAU.

FACE PLATE FOR FLUSH RECEPTACLES.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT-12,1916.

lfim fimm I Patented @113, 191;.

/7 Z0 16 ,4 Z0 Z2 7 awuewtoz HARE) U. 60705170 351 mam/" 5 lit?) titt HARRY U. BAZDEA'U, OF BRIDGEPOR'I, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOB; TO THE BRYANT ELEC- TRIO COMPAIW, OF BBIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT; A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

FACE-PLATE FOR FLUSH RECEPTACLES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 3, 1191f.

To all whom it may camera:

Be it known that I, HARRY U. BADEAU, a citizen of the United States of America, and residing at Bridgeport, in the county of F airfield and State of Connecticut, have invented a certain new and Improved Face- Plate for Flush Receptacles, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to face plates for flush receptacles and particularly to a stop device for limiting the movement of the door or shutter which normally obstructs the face plate opening.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a perspective of a face plate in which my invention is embodied;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section therethrough;

Fig. 3 is a broken inverted plan thereof;

Fig. 4 is a partial inverted plan of a modified construction; and

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section through portion of this face plate.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in a face plate of the general type in common use for the reception of the well-lmown Chapman plug but is not limited to a plate of this particular character. As here shown the plate comprisesa body centrally apertured at 11 to permit the passage therethrough of the attachment plug. Normally obstructing this aperture is a pair of door wings 12 pivoted at their opposite ends to the inner side of the face plate by means ofhinge pins 13 so that they may swing open to admit the attachment plug to the receptacle (not shown) ordinarily associated with the face plate 10.

The feature to which the present invention relates resides in the means for limiting the movement of the door wings 12 so that in closed position they lie substantially flush with the face plate 10, while in open position they stand at an angle of-substantially 90 degrees to the plane of the face plate. To this end have provided, in the construction shown in Figs. 2 and 3, a substantially rectangular frame 14: which extends around the opening 11 and is secured in position by means of perforated ears 15 at opposite ends of the frame through holes in which extend the countersunk hollow bosses 16. which afl'ord apertures for the heads of securing screws (not shown). The

lower edges of these bosses are peened over at 17 below the inner face of the frame 15 after the fashion of rivets and thus securely hold the parts assembled. As anauxiliary securing means I form a boss 18 on one side of the frame which is centrally perforated to receive a rivet-like stud 19 passing through the hole in the boss 18 and headed below the latter. At suitable points adjacent the pivot pins 13 I provide the frame with inwardly projecting flanges 20 the faces 21-of which form stops bearing against the ends 22 of the door wings when the latter are thrown open and serving to halt the latter in position substantially at right angles to the plane of the face plate (see Fig. 2). The boss 18 also projects slightly into the area of the central aperture 11 and forms a stop which halts the doors in a position substantially flush with the face plate when they are closed. The margins of the doors may be recessed as at 23 to form seats in which the boss 18 is received. The frame 14 thus not only ad'ords devices for limiting the movement of the door wings 12, but also materially reinforces the face plate at its point of greatest weakness, viz., adjacent the opening 11 and thus adds materially to the strength of the construction-a point of considerable importance where the door is struck from relatively light sheet metal, as

in the construction shown.

Where reinforcement of the face plate is considered unnecessary, the major portion of the frame 14 may be omitted as in the con struction shown in Figs. 4 and. 5 while at the same time providing stop means having the same action as in the construction just de' scribed. Thus the frame 24 shown in Figs. 4: and 5 extend down only one side of the aperture 11 and is held in position solely by the stud rivet 19. The stop flanges 25 are located in the same position with relation to the hinge pins 13 as the flanges 20 of the frame previously described and serve to limit the outward movement of the doors to a position substantially at right angles to the plane of the face plate in precisely the same manner, although bearing against only one side of the door wings.

The invention is not limited to the precise forms of frame shown in the constructions illustrated, and various modifications may be made which do not depart from what I claim as my invention.

I claim as my invention 1. A face plate for electrical receptacles having an aperture, a hinged door normally obstructing said aperture, a strap secured to the inner face of saidplate and having a portion extending into the area of said aperture in position to engage said door on opening and arrest it in a position substantially at right angles to the plane of the plate.

2. A face plate for electrical receptacles having an aperture, a hinged door normally obstructing said aperture, a strap secured to the inner face, of the plate and having stops engaging the door to limit both its opening and its closing movement.

3. A face plate for electrical receptacles having an aperture, a hinged door normally obstructing said aperture, a strap secured to the inner face of the plate and having stops engaging the inner face of the door to limit both its opening and its closing.

obstructing said aperture, a strap secured to the inner face of the plate and having stops extending into the area of the aperture and engaging the door to limit both its opening and its closing movement.

5. A face plate for electrical receptacles having an aperture, a hinged door normally obstructing said aperture, a frame surroundingthe aperture on the inner side of the face plate and having stops engaging the door to limit both its opening and its closing movement. 1

6. A faceplate for electrical receptacles having an aperture, a hinged door normally obstructing said aperture, a frame surrounding the aperture on the inner side of the face plate and having stops extending into the area of the aperture and engaging the door to limit both its opening and its closing movement.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HARRY U. BADEAU.

Witnesses:

H. M. WICHERT, C. A. BATES. 

